Thomas gibbons frost



(No Moden) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

A T. G. FROST. GRAIN DRYING APPARATUS.

Patented Nov. 10, 1896.V

INVENTOR (No Modem 5 2 sheetsheet 2.

T. G. FROST. GRAIN D-RYING APPARATUS. No; 570,989. Patented Nov. lo, 41896.

wrrNEssEs INVENToR UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

THOMAS GIBBONS FROST, OF CHESTER, ENGLAND.`

GRAIN-DRYING APPARATUS.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,989, dated November 10, 1896.

Application led July l, 1896. Serial No. 597,666. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS GIBRoNs FRos'r, a citizen of England, residing at Richmond Hill, Chester, in the county of Chester, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Grain-Dryin g Apparatus, of which the following isa specication.

In many grain-drying apparatus the grain descends in a thin layer between walls which are perforated or have openin gs through them of various forms-sometimes louvers-while air is caused to pass through the descending grain. The openings through which the air issues are apt to become clogged with dust and other matter separated from the grain.

My invention relates to means of clearing these openings, so as to maintain free passage of air through them. For this purpose at the side or each side of the drying apparatus, which is usually in the form of a high column, I arrange several uprights which can move to and fro on horizontal guides, each upright having projecting from it brushes,which bear against the wall of the drying apparatus, or, in cases where the openings are in the form of louvers, I incline the brushes so as to en-` ter into the louver-openin gs.

For each set of the uprights carrying the brushes I provide a vertical shaft having on it pinions gearing with horizontal racks fixed on the uprights, so that by giving these shafts a rocking motionV from any convenient motor the brushes are caused to move to and fro, clearing the openings over or along which they pass.

When the column of the drying apparatus is of cylindrical form, I attach all the uprights (of which there may bea number arranged at intervals around the column) to rings, so that they all move together, and guide them on rings concentric with the column. In this case a single rack and pinion for each of the rings thatconnect the uprights serves to move all the brushes to and fro simultaneously.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention as applied to a drying apparatus of cylindrical form.

Figure lis a part elevation, partly in section; and Fig. 2, a sectional plan.

A A' are the external and internal columns, 5o to which are attached the two sets of louvers B B', between which the grain descends, all this being of ordinary construction.

To the columns A A', I fix guide-eyes C C',` through which can slide outer and inner rings 5 5 D D', these being repeated at various heights.

To the rings D D' are attached uprights E E', one between each pair of the columns A A', and on the faces of these uprights I liX brushes F F', directed obliquely downward 6o into the space between the louvers B B'.

On a pair of the outer uprights E, I X toothed racks G, and on a pair of the inner uprights E', I also iX toothed racks Gr', these racks gearing with pinions II H' on two up- 65 right rocking shafts K K'. On giving these shafts a reciprocating movement by suitable gear from vany convenient motor the two sets of uprights E E are caused to move to and fro, their brushes F F' cleaning the spaces 7o between the louvers B B'. When the drying apparatus is of rectangular form, the uprights carrying brushes are driven and guided to move to and fro rectilineally, one upright between each pair of the supporting-columns, 7 5

there being four sets of the racks, pinions, and shafts, one for each side ofthe rectangular structure.

Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means I know of car- 8o rying the same into practical eect, I claim- For cleaning the air-openings of grain-drying apparatus, apparatus consisting of uprights caused to move to and fro, these uprights carrying brushes which enter the airopenings, clearing them, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 17th day of 9o June, A. D. 1896.

THOMAS GIBBONS FROST.

lVitnesses:

J. E. HENDERSON, RICHARD MAssEv. 

